Join us for the third webinar in our ICONS series, in partnership with the America-Israel Friendship League, to meet three accomplished women leaders whose paths to success share a common foundation to their military service.
Hear from a Retired Brigadier General and Retired Lt. General with the Israel Defense Forces, as well as a Retired Vice-Admiral with the U.S. Navy, about how their careers, during their military service, helped guide them to achieve success in the military and in their post-military careers.
Each of these women have been trailblazers in the advancement of women’s opportunities within the military, including combat positions.
Panelists Vice Admiral (Ret.) Carol Pottenger, Israel Defense Forces (RES.) Brigadier General Sharon Nir, and Retired Israel Defense Forces Lt. General Orit Adato will discuss topics including:
Stylistic differences between female and male leadership
Combat and Special Forces positions in the IDF and the US Military
Comparison of conscription vs. volunteer service
JWI CEO Meredith Jacobs moderates; hosted by Ruby Shamir, executive director of AIFL’s Israel office and director of international operations.
ICONS is a partnership of JWI and AIFL. Registration is free.
PANELISTS
A woman of many firsts in a 30+ year career with the United States Navy, Vice Admiral (Ret.) Carol Pottenger currently serves on private, public and non-profit boards, including PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Board of Partners and Principals, California Water Service Group, Serco North America and the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation in Washington, D.C. Ms. Pottenger is principal and owner of CMP Global LLC, which provides consulting services in organizational transformation, risk assessment, human capital and corporate governance. The first female three-star Admiral in American history to lead in a combat branch, Ms. Pottenger was a pioneer throughout her Navy career. She commanded two ships, a logistic force of 30 ships, a Japan-based strikegroup of 8 ships, and the Expeditionary Force of 40,000 sailors. She was also the senior U.S. Flag Officer responsible for military transformation and sensitive military topics such as counterterrorism and cyber security while on assignment with NATO. She is a graduate of Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, and in 2007 received an honorary PhD from Purdue.
Sharon Nir is an Israel Defense Forces (RES.) Brigadier General with extensive senior management experience in the military IT and cyber unit and in the army general staff. Her career achievements and highlights include: Gender Advisor to the IDF Chief of Staff (2016-2019); Commander of IDF National School of Communication and Cyber Defense (2015-2016); Head of Inquiry Department at the MOD Soldiers' Ombudsman Office (2009-2015); Commander of C4I Battalion, at the Central Command (2007-2009); Head of Planning and Organization Branch at IDF J6 HQ (2003-2006). Her education and vocational training include Financial Statement Analysis Course, Tel Aviv University (2020); Mandel Education Leadership Program (2013); Director of Finance & Management Course, Israel Centre for Management (2012); Master’s Degree, National Security College in Security Studies, Haifa University (2006); MBA, Business Management, Ben Gurion University (2001); and Bachelor of Arts Degree, Behavioral Sciences (with honors), Ben Gurion University (1996).
Orit Adato is Owner and Managing Director of Adato Consulting Ltd. (2004 – 2019), a company specialized in Correctional Systems, leadership and strategic planning and training, management of terror inmates, radicalization and recruitment in prisons and "Lone Wolves”, as well as Security, Correctional System's intelligence and cooperation with other Security and Law Enforcement Agencies. Her career includes 25 years of service in the Israel Defense Forces, up to a General rank, mostly in training and command positions (Basic training, Officer courses, training bases). She also has 17 years of correctional experience, including four as the Commissioner of the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) – Lt. General; 9 years as Vice President of International Correction & Prison Association (ICPA) (including an international award for outstanding contribution in 2010), and 15 years as a consultant in these areas in various countries and international organizations (NATO, United Nations, European Police Congress, XVIII, International Security Conference, “Gdansk Talks”, ELNET, etc.) Her education includes a Bsc in Educational Management and an MA in Political Science. She has completed IDF courses in Command & Staff, National Security College, and Advanced System Course. Her other public positions include former Board member of the Council for Peace & Security; former President of International Women Forum Israel; Board member of America-Israel Friendship League in Israel; research colleague and lecturer in the International Institute for Counter Terrorism at the IDC – Interdisciplinary Center for the last 15 years; Board member and Chairperson of Gesher Leadership Institute since 2012; Chair of Gesher since 2019; and founder and Board member of Devora Forum – Women in Security and Foreign Affairs.
Meredith Jacobs (moderator), JWI's CEO, is an award-winning journalist and former editor-in-chief of Washington Jewish Week. She is the author of The Modern Jewish Mom’s Guide to Shabbat: Connect and Celebrate—Bring Your Family Together with the Friday Night Meal (HarperCollins) and co-author, with her daughter Sofie, of the bestselling series of interactive journals, Just Between Us (Chronicle Books). Prior to joining JWI, she founded ModernJewishMom.com, the first Jewish parenting website (now part of Kveller), and was the host of the WYPR radio show, Connecting Family and The Jewish Channel television holiday specials, Modern Jewish Mom.
Jacobs assumed the role of CEO after serving as JWI’s chief operating officer for six years; in that role she managed communications, branding, messaging, and development. She has shepherded the development of numerous JWI leadership initiatives, including the Jewish Communal Women’s Leadership Project; Men As Allies: Leading Equitable Workplaces ; and the Young Women’s Leadership Network. Jacobs also works closely with JWI’s philanthropic partners, Sigma Delta Tau national sorority and Zeta Beta Tau national fraternity, developing initiatives like the award-winning Green Light, Go! and Girls Achieve GrΣΔΤness. A sought after speaker, moderator and writer, her opinion pieces appear frequently in outlets such as JTA, eJewishPhilanthropy, and Washington Jewish Week.
For the past 30 years, Ruby Shamir has served as Executive Director of the Israel Office of the America-Israel Friendship League, an organization dedicated to strengthening the ties between the United States and Israel through its people-to-people programs. Formerly, Ruby was the Director of Public Events in the Public Affairs Division of Tel Aviv University. She is also an active partner in her family’s real estate projects. Ruby is one of the founders of International Women’s Forum (IWF) in Israel and the former international secretary of IWF. She was the Co-Chair of the Spring conference of IWF 2000 and a member of the Israeli organizing committee of IWF Spring 2016 conference in Tel Aviv. Among her various public activities, Ruby has been serving for many years as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Schneider's Children at Schneider Children Medical Center of Israel.
